Potato harvesting apparatus



Aug. 6, 1935. L. STOLTENBERG 2,010,335

POTATO HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I//////////II I/ II .E'lE. 1

/ I //I II I II I I II I III! II/I! I LUUIE STULTE NBERE ATTORNEY.

Aug. 6, 1935. L. STOLTENBERG 2,010,335

I POTATO HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

LEILI l5 ETEILTENEIERE' ATTORNEY.

1935. L. STOLTENBERG I 7 2,010,335

POTATQ HARVEST ING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,INVENTOR. LEI Ll I 5 STULTENBERE ATTORNEY.

PIE. 5

Patented Aug. 6, 1935 i h UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POTATO HARVESTING;APPARATUS Louis Stoltenberg, Oakland, Calif.

Application June 1, 1934, Serial No. 728,509 6 Claims. (01. 55-135 Thisinvention relates generally to new and end of the rear fixed conveyorand is illususeful improvements in potato harvesters, and trative of theconstructional details thereof; embodies various improvements in designand Figure 6 is a detailed view illustrating the adconstruction overthat shown and described in justable rods carried by the upper end ofthe my United States Patent No. 1,487,821, issued forward conveyor andthrough which the potatoes 5 March 25th, 1924, for Potato pickingmachines. drop to the lower end of the 0011- The primary object of mypresent invention is veyor; to provide a combined harvesting apparatusem- Figure '7 is a sectional detail, showing the asbodying apotato-digging means, a conveying and sembly of the conveyor driveshafts and connectsifting means, a vine-separating means, a sortingins-r d bearin s, th s ti n being taken on th 10 means, and a sackingmeans. 7 line 1-! in Figu e 7 Another object of the invention is toprovide ure 8 s an e a ed d tail illustrative of the in an apparatus ofthe class described comprising Vine-Separator driving mechanism; aconveyor system including a pair of chain con- Figure 9 is a view indetail, show e utc veyors arranged in superposed relation, the uppermechanism p y in disengaging he ma 15 r of which is adjustable andangularly disposed in and COIIVBYOI drivesthe forward end of the machineand adapted for Referring to the drawings W greater p adjustablysupporting at its lower end a plowlarity, the numeral l0 designates, ina general share regulable as to the conveyor and also as to W the pp tstructure, including frame its cutting depth, the lower being fixed anda1-- and wheels. the structure being adapted for con- 20 ranged toreceive the potatoes as discharged from' nectiento a y suitable p w r ut, su as a tr the upper and convey them rearwardlyto be distor (notShown) charged into a sorting mechanism, or upon the The forward Co veyoII is swingably mounted ground a l'nay be desired, at its upper end inbearing supports l2 carried A further object of the invention isthe proythe sup u s of the app ratus and 25 vision of an improved conveyingmeansadapted s singularly disposed relative to the d, as to assist inthe assortment of th potatoes as shown in Figure l, with its lower endterminating to size and to also sift the dirt and other debris Short ofthe ground level, and p ov at s therefrom in their rearward passage fromthe end With an adjustable plewshare It so ra d plow. i as to permit itsbeing swung about the lower shaft 30 Additional to the foregoing is thatof providing thereof, the pp shaft beiilg rotetebly suitabletransversely moving means adapted to Secured in the b s assist in theremoval of thevines by receiving The shaft l5 of the conveyor extendsinto arthem from the forward conveyor and depositing e e e guide-shitsi7 Carried by elcuately disposed V them latterly thereof. V V braces l8positioned upon opposite sides of the 5 Other objects and advantages ofthe invention frame andembleeihg the lower end of t 0 will becomeapparent with the accompanyin veyor, the slots conforming to an arcstruck from three sheets of drawings and the accom nyi the'center of theshaft IS in a manner permitting specifications. I j g the swinging ofthe lower end of the conveyor 40 Figure 1 i a side elevation, showing a,complete to cause the plowshare M to be raised to clear the 4 assembledmachine as it wouldappear inreadine'ss, g u d w being transferred from pa to for instant use; place, this operation being accomplished throughFigure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus sho the action of a hand-leverand ratchet-drum ing portions of the convey r broken away t permechanisml 9 upon a cable 20' having an end conmit a greater clearness ofillustration; nection with the shaft l5 and adaptable for move- 45Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the ment in eitherdirection. plowshare' and the lower end of the forward con- The plow I4is P- p s shown in F veyor as it appears in position for operation, thefi es 2} and 3, and mounted to be vraised a d section being indicated bythe line 3 3 of Figlowered, relative o the conveyor shaft 5, by ure 2; lmeans of a lever 2| carried by the lower end of 50 Figure 4 is atransverse section taken through the-conveyor chute Z2 and connectedwith the plow the forward conveyor, the section being indicated by meansof a rigid arm 23 and a link 24, an by the line 4-4, in Figures 1 and 2of the drawran eme t permitting s adjustment to any d ings; r h siredcutting or scooping angle andheld rigidly Figure 5 is an enlarged plandetail of the lower to the position by means of the sector 25. 55

The conveyor I I comprises the chute 22, the shafts I5 and IS, thespaced side-chains 26, the cross-pieces 2? and the longitudinal rods 28.The rods 28 are properly spaced apart to prevent the potatoes fromdropping through but are sufficiently close to allow loose earthyparticles to be sifted from the potatoes as they are borne upwardly bythe cross-pieces Z'l of the conveyor. The weight of the chains 26 andcross-pieces 21 is carried by the rods 28 and the cross-pieces slidethereon in their movement toward the upper end of the conveyor, thepotatoes being slidably borne along these rods in advance of thecrosspieces.

The upper end of the conveyor II is provided with a separate section 2%}consisting of a plurality of removable rods 36 carried by cross-pieces 3I as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and these rods are retained in place bynotches 32 adapted for their reception and permitting their adjustmentlaterally to vary their spacing apart to accommodate the passagetherebetween of differently sized potatoes to the lower conveyor 33,-the vines and similar dbris being carried up and over the end of theconveyor and discharged upon the vine separator 34.

The vine separator and carrier 34 receives the vines and other debristhat may not have been disposed of by the conveyor I I in its travel tothis point, together with such potatoes as may still adhere to thevines, and carries these crosswise of'the travel of the conveyor, thisaction serving to detach the remaining potatoes from the vines, thesedropping to the conveyor 33, while the vines and other matter are bornetransversely and discharged to one side as refuse.

The separator t lconsists of an ordinary link conveyor having widespaces between the links and mounted upon shafts 35 and 36 carried bythe supporting frame. The shaft 38 carries a helical gear 37 meshingwith a like gear 38 carried by the conveyor shaft I6, this shaft and theseparator shaft 36 being driven by a sprocket wheel 39 also mounted uponthe shaft I6, shown in Figure 8.

' The lower, or rear, conveyor 33, the forward conveyor I I, and theseparator 34 are driven by a shaft 49 mounted upon the platform of. theapparatus and having a pinion ll mounted on opposite ends thereof andmeshing with gears 42 carried by the axle t3, the conveyor I I beingcon- 'nected to the shaft 48 by means of chains and sprockets Z4, andthe conveyor 33 thereof by means of chains and sprockets 45.

The clutch mechanism 46 of Figure 9, is mounted upon the shaft 4%, andoperates to cause the disengagement of pinions ll from the driving gears42 to stop the actuation of the conveyors while transferring theapparatus from one field of operation to another, or when it is desiredthat the conveyors remain inactive.

The rear conveyor 33 consists of a lower shaft .41 mounted in bearingscarried by the frame and an outer shaft 48, the chains 49 thereof beingof ordinary construction and provided with spaced cross-pieces 50similar to those of the conveyor I I. The longitudinally disposed rods5| of this conveyor are arranged similarly to those of the conveyor II,except in that they are provided with wavy sections being of a verticalnature over which the potatoes in their rearward travel are compelled topursue an irregular course calculated to free them of whatever vines orother dbris that may be still clinging to them.

This rear conveyor is further provided with a chute 53 adapted toprevent the potatoes from falling off the conveyor while being carriedrear- Wardly. This conveyor is rearwardly inclined with its outer endprojecting somewhat beyond the end of the frame of the apparatus for theaccommodation of a sorting and sacking attachment 545, shown in Figures1 and 2 in dotand-dash lines and forming the subject matter of aco-pending application.

To meet requirements when this attachment is desired to be employed, therear end of the conveyor is sufiiciently raised to permit the couplingon to the apparatus of a trailer 55, as a means for handlingexpeditiously the potatoes as sacked.

Obviously, though designed particularly for potato harvesting, there aredivers other applications wherein the apparatus would prove equallyvaluable, as, for instance, in the harvesting of beets, turnips, andlike farm products.

In recapitulation.

The conveyor II would be dropped into the position shown in Figure l,the lever 2| manipulated for the adjustment of the plowshare I for therequired digging depth, and the machine drawn over the ground to be dugby any power adapted to meet requirements. Once in motion, the potatoestogether with such other matter as may adhere thereto, are plowed, orrather scooped up by the plowshare I 5, and cast upon the adjacent, orforward, end of the conveyor II, to be thence carried rearwardly andupwardly by this conveyor until the section 29 is reached, at whichpoint the potatoes are received by the rods 30, these rods beingsufficiently spaced apart to permit the potatoes to drop through and bereceived by the lower conveyor 33, the vines, debris, and such potatoesas may be still clinging to the vines being passed on and thrown uponthe transverse carrier and vine separator 34, where, through thepeculiar cross action of this carrier the remaining potatoes are removedand the vines and coarser dbris conveyed to one side for disposal.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis the following:-

1. In an apparatus of the character described,

the combination with a portable supporting frame, of a swingableconveyor disposed in the forward end of the frame, a plow carried by theouter end of said conveyor and adapted for angular adjustment relativethereto, a second conveyor mounted in said frame below the firstconveyor and adapted to receive therefrom discharged articles, the rearof said swingable con- .veyor being in overlapped relation with theforward portion of said second conveyor, and codirectionally arrangedrelative thereto and means for driving said conveyors in a commondirection and at common speed.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with aportable frame, of a vswingable conveyor disposed in the forward end ofthe frame, a plow carried'by the forwardly projecting end of saidconveyor and adapted for adjustment relative thereto, a second conveyormounted in said frame below the first conveyor,

the combination with a portable frame, of a s wingab1e conveyormounted'in the forward end thereof, an adjustable plow carried by theforward end of said conveyor for rooting up and depositing articlesthereupon, a second relatively fixed conveyor mounted in said frame withits forward end projecting under and beyond the rearmost end of saidswingable conveyor, means co-operatively associated with said conveyorsfor carrying rearwardly articles unearthed by said plow and separatingthe dbris therefrom during said carriage, and driving means borne bysaid frame adapted for the actuation of said conveyors in a commondirection and at a common speed.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a portablesupporting frame, of a swingable conveyor disposed in the forward end ofsaid frame, lever operated means coactively associated with saidconveyor for raising and lowering the forward end thereof, an adjustableplowshare mounted upon the forward end of said conveyor for uprootingand depositing articles thereon, a second relatively fixed conveyormounted in said frame with its forward end projecting beneath and beyondthe rearmost end of said swingable conveyor, said swingable conveyorconsisting of longitudinally disposed rods and chain-carriers coactingtherewith to convey articles rearwardly and to sift foreign mattertherefrom while being so conveyed, the said articles being thereafterdischarged onto said fixed conveyor, and means for driving saidconveyors in a common direction.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a portableframe, of a swingable conveyor disposed in the forward end of saidframe, a plowshare mounted upon the forward end of said swingableconveyor for uprooting and depositing articles thereon, a secondrelatively fixed conveyor mounted in the frame with its forward endprojecting beneath and beyond the rearmost end of said swingableconveyor, removable rods therefor both said conveyors comprisingchain-carriers and longitudinally disposed and spaced rods coactingtherewith to bear the garnered articles rearwardly, the swingableconveyor being provided at its upper end with a section in which saidremovable rods are of wider spacing than those of the lower end topermit freely the passage therethrough of the articles to the fixedconveyor below, and means for driving said conveyors.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a portableframe, of a swingable conveyor disposed in the forward end of the frame,a plowshare mounted in the forward end of said swingable conveyor foruprooting and depositing articles thereon, a second relatively fixedconveyor mounted in the frame with its forward end projecting beneathand beyond the rearmost end of said swingable conveyor, both saidconveyors comprising chain-carriers and longitudinally disposed andspaced rods coacting therewith to bear the garnered articles rearwardly,the swingable conveyor being provided at its upper end with a section inwhich the rods are corrugated or waved, and means for driving saidconveyors in a common direction and at common speed.

LOUIS STOLTENBERG.

